国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

there extends a line of low sandy terraces for about 800 yards from north-west to
south-east. The site is thickly covered with broken pieces of burned bricks and
pottery debris, and is known as Qalāt-sarāwān.

The types of decorated ceramic ware represented by plentiful fragments
left no doubt about the locality having been occupied in early medieval times.
Among the specimens reproduced in Pl. XXVI, those of glazed ware, showing
incised floral designs under green, brown, or mottled yellow glaze (Gur. 26, 32,
35–7), closely resemble the glazed pottery abundantly found at the kilns of Tiz.⁹
But particularly characteristic are the abundant fragments of a fine, rather porous
fabric, neatly decorated with geometrical patterns which have been either im-
pressed by stamping (Gur. 15, 17, 21, 39, 40, 55–7, 61) or else produced from
moulds (24, 43). One of the latter (25) retains traces of Kufic characters.
Fragments of moulds, such as 58, prove local production of this pottery, and
certain spots, where potsherds lay thick in the sand overlying shelves of soft
sandstone, had the appearance of having served for kilns. Several small pieces
of porcelain obviously indicated Chinese import. There were also fragments of
twisted glass bangles and a small piece of a relief-ornamented glass vessel.

From the little hamlet of Kumbil 2 miles farther south, where our camp was
pitched, I was able to visit, under an intelligent villager's guidance, two ruined
sites undoubtedly marking localities which once had seen the shipping activities
of Old Hormuz. The first of them, known as Kalātun, was reached after crossing
for some 2½ miles to the west a bare alluvial plain which is liable to be flooded
from the sea at exceptionally high tides. It is intersected by several shallow
channels ordinarily receiving tidal water. Arrived at Kalātun, we found a con-
siderable stretch of ground rising but slightly above the tidal flood-level covered
with fragments of burnt bricks and potsherds. For a distance of more than 800
yards from north-west to south-east, I was able to trace rectangular lines of
rough stonework, marking the foundations of houses. The stones, often large,
seemed to have been brought from the Arabian hills across the strait, much of the
material appearing to be of volcanic origin. Many small pieces of good Chinese
porcelain were to be picked up, also fragments of glazed and plain ware, the latter
much corroded by the effect of sea-water. Conclusive proof of maritime traffic
with the Far East in early medieval times was afforded by a Chinese copper coin
dating from the period A.D. 1111–19 and a number of fragments, determined by
Mr. J. Allan as also belonging to the beginning of the Sung epoch. Ships of very
light draught were declared to unload in a creek to the west of Kalātun, and a
Customs post controlling such traffic was within sight in the distance to the
south-west.